William Thompson

Ready to Change Mark. 1:14-22

Mark makes quick changes of direction compared to Matthew and Luke. {From the Baptism, the wilderness, John the Baptist to Jesus.}

The shift from John the Baptist as the main character to Jesus came swiftly. As believer the life message is to learn when to:

Step back

Step aside

Step away

To allow someone else to come step forward. Just because you have lead to a certain point does not meant it is your role to finish.

Moses to Joshua nor Elijah to Elisa. Now John the Baptist or Jesus Christ.

As a pastor of a church for 32 years with many accomplishment when the time was up I had to pray for God to give me the strength to release that church to another person and know that it was his season now.

Mark 1:14-22 (KJV)14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

John had to Deceased so Jesus might Increase

The people were ready for Jesus and they flocked to hear John this wilderness preacher.

There had been no God-sent prophets for 400 years, since the days of Malachi (who wrote the last book of the Old Testament).

Anticipation was growing that the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, would soon come.

The purpose of John’s preaching was to prepare people to accept Jesus as God’s Son.

Once John had completed his assignment he had to step aside, step away, and step back. He went to prison for all his good preaching. And Jesus stepped up

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 (KJV)1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

Ecclesiastes 3:6-8 (KJV)7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Believe the Gospel

The lowest level of belief occurs when we come to understand something without letting it affect how we live. The demons have this kind of belief. They believe God exists but will not turn from their unrighteous conduct (James 2:19).

The kind of belief Jesus urges us to have is a commitment that is clearly demonstrated by the way we live. Jesus was asking the people of the first century—and us today—to comprehend His message, trust it and act accordingly.

To “believe in the gospel,” as Jesus instructed us to do, includes having the knowledge that He is the prophesied Messiah, repenting of our sins and then continuing to live in obedience to God’s law. The belief Jesus advocated was not only a matter of knowledge.

16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

{Following Jesus mean we have to leave some things behind”}

Bad attitude

Un-forgiveness

Character and Habits that does not mirror the image of Christ

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;

Adultery,

fornication,

uncleanness,

lasciviousness,

Idolatry,

witchcraft,

hatred,

variance,

Ambition

anger,

strife,

seditions,

heresies,

19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

{making preparation for the next day}

{Preparing to be successful in the world}

20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

This was an unusual call? Was this a call to:

Salvation

Sanctification

Serve

A call to Salvation

Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Matthew 22:3 (KJV)3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

A call to Sanctification

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV)23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 17:19 (KJV)19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

A call to Serve

Romans 12:6-8 (KJV)6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Ephesians 4:7 (KJV)7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

After trying to answer the question from the mind of a theologian the mind of faith said no this was a call for all three.

Salvation, Sanctification and Serves.

Discipleship is prominent in Mark’s Gospel.

Jesus’ call would pose two questions in the minds of Mark’s readers:

“Who is this One who calls?” and

“What does it mean to follow Him?”

Mark gave them an answer in his Gospel.

Discipleship is the expected norm for all who believe the gospel and not the exception to those who are called.

In Christianity, disciple primarily refers to a dedicated follower of Jesus.

This term is found in the New Testament only in the Gospels and Acts. In the ancient world, a disciple is a follower or adherent of a teacher.

Learning the written word of God and living by it with commitment (John 8:31-32)

Loving, edifying, and serving others as God leads (1 John 3:11-16)

Focusing on living righteously, being fruitful (John 15:7-10, Galatians 5:22)

Accountability with godly authority (Hebrews 13:17)

Foundational Values of Discipleship are:

Evangelism (sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ) (Matthew 28:18-20)

Being changed by renewing your mind (Romans 12:2)

Worshipping God in all you do (Romans 12:1)

Serving God toward His purpose (Romans 1:9)

Demonstrating to the world the Power given us by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 2 Peter 1:3-8)

Disciples don’t make excuses to avoid commitment:

Luke 14:

I just bought some land

I just bought some oxen

I just got married

Luke 14:21 (KJV)21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

The Gospel has urgency to it for it is God’s work and we must be about our father’s business today.

Are you ready to go to work for the master? Are you will to be a disciple of the Lord?